Far From my Expectations Far From the Madding Crowd is one of my favourite novels, so I was looking forward to what looked like a well-cast, nicely shot film. The truth is, however, that if I hadn't read the book first, this adaptation would not have encouraged me to read Hardy's novel. It's not a bad movie by any means, but it does have a few problems which were maybe unavoidable in adapting this late Victorian classic into the contemporary cinematic environment.
I had two main problems in this respect; the first is that of timing. The running time is just under two hours, and yet a good third of the book is swallowed up in just the first fifteen minutes. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however I felt as though all that extra time could have been better spent in exploring Bathseba's interactions with her second and third suitors (Troy in particular, but we'll get on to that). Rather Oak takes up much more of the screen time than necessary, and, being a naturally stolid and stoic character, does not provide for that compelling a screen presence.
The second problem ties much into the first, in that the sped-up first fifteen minutes gives us a foundation whereby Batsheba openly declares herself to be an independent, DIY woman who 'don't need no man', which is not really carried through for large chunks of the rest of the film. In the novel, Bathsheba's independence of spirit is demonstrated through her brusque actions, often blunt speech and stubborn pride, rather than simple declarations of her ambition and character. As such, when in the film, she falls for Troy, (especially in such a short amount of time given the length of the picture) it is quite jarring and doesn't really fit with what they seemed to be going for at the start. For most of the rest of the adaptation, themes, ideas, and even the scenery are presented with the subtlety and restraint characteristic of Hardy, but I feel the independent woman stuff unfortunately didn't work as well - which is a shame.
As such, it makes it difficult for me to recommend this film unless you've read the book first, as seeing this adaptation could possibly impair the experience of what is a wonderful novel. Again, I may sound quite harsh on what is a competently made, well-acted, well- scripted, well-scored movie. If you simply want to see these things, by all means it is a perfectly enjoyable diversion for a few hours. However, if you're yet to discover Hardy's Wessex (oddly changed to its real- life parallel Dorset in the film) I'd recommend you dive into one of the English language's finest authors before viewing this particular adaptation.